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Kidron – Clinic for children and adolescents with epilepsy

In September 2006, the “Kidron” clinic for children and adolescents with epilepsy moved into a new wing of the Bethel Epilepsy Centre in Bielefeld. House “Kidron” was subsequently demolished. The “Kidron photo project 2005 – 2006” accompanied the everyday life of its staff and patients of the “Kidron” House in the last two years of its existence.

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1986 – 2006
“Kidron” was as a residential clinic for children and adolescents with epilepsy
Home
was what the children should feel at the “Kidron” house
Residential clinic
as an exemplary therapy concept by Dr. Hans-Erich Boenigk

The photo documentary “Kidron 2005 – 2006” sponsored by Hörmann preserves the memory of a house rich in tradition and its exemplary therapy concept. Developed and applied by the clinic director Dr. Hans-Erich Boenigk, it became known as a “residential clinic” at the end of the 1980s.

The individually, colourfully and homely furnished rooms and corridors, a large garden and their own school clinic were just perfect to allow the children to maintain some of their everyday life. Long hospital stays were made easier for them this way. The trauma of leaving home could be alleviated. The residential clinic even seemed to promise a speedy recovery in a spatial sense.

The photo documentary is accompanied by a history of the development of the “Kidron” house since its inception. From 1914 to 1983, “Kidron” was a clinic for psychologically disturbed women. A partial renovation and a complete redesign of the interior took place in the mid 1980s. In 1986, the paediatric department of the Mara I Epilepsy Centre moved into the converted building.

The project was made possible by the clinic management (Dr Ingrid Tuxhorn, Dr Elisabeth Korn-Merker). It was organised by Stefan Heiner, Heilwig Fischbach and Renate Boenigk. The photos were taken by Jochen Schlesinger and Jan Neumann.

Photos of the documentary “Kidron 2005 – 2006”

The last years of the residential clinic

The “Kidron 2005 – 2006” photo project follows the last years of the residential clinic for children and adolescents with epilepsy. From the homely rooms full of life to the move to the new children's hospital Mara I.

Empty rooms before demolition

The photographer Christian Güssow from Hamburg captured all that remained after the move with his camera. House “Kidron”, a traditional clinic building of the Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel, was subsequently demolished. The photo series was produced as part of the long-term documentation “Kidron 2005 – 2006” sponsored by Hörmann.